A Legend Entrapped: Part I

 

I was about to stop searching the book racks and turn around to check out when I noticed a book titled ‘King Arthur’. Sadly, it was exceeding my budget, so I decided to leave it behind; but, as I turned around, a voice whispered: “Look in your pocket.”

I looked around and found no one near me. I put my hand inside my trouser pocket and found just the right amount of money to buy the book. “What’s happening here? Am I hallucinating?”

I bought the book and headed home. My mom saw my face and asked what was wrong. I was hesitant to tell her what happened, but she persuaded me into talking. Mom said it was probably stress because of my ongoing exams.

Later that night, I was studying maths when the book about King Arthur fell off my book rack. I picked it up and put it back in place, but it fell off the rack again after I sat at my desk.

“What the hell is with this book? Is it cursed?”

I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to pick it up again, so I just left it on the floor. After an hour, I was ready for bed, but as soon as I got under the covers, the voice from before returned. “Arthur needs your help,” it said. I sat up only to find the book lying next to me on my bed. I jumped back and almost fell off the bed the second I saw it.

“Read the book; Arthur needs your help!” the voice repeated.

I paused for a moment, but decided to read the book, anyway. I had only finished the first page when the book began to shake. I tried to hold on to it, but it broke free from my grip and flew across the room before hitting the wall. The second it hit the floor, a strange man appeared before me. He was dressed in medieval clothing. “Wait, is he…”

“Genevieve! What are you… Wait, where am I? What is this place?”

“My name’s not Genevieve; it’s Aurora,” I replied.

“What’re you saying? Is this some elaborate joke?”

“You’re King Arthur, right?”

He looked at me and frowned. “Yes.”

I pointed at the book about him on the floor. “You’ve been dead for over a thousand years.”

“What…” 

King Arthur stepped back and leaned against the wall next to my room door. His eyes began to well with tears as he bent down to pick it up. “I’ve been stuck in this book for over a thousand years? My friends, my family… Everyone I knew is dead.”

“I’m so sor—”

Right then, Mom opened the door asking whether I spoke to her. And the second she saw King Arthur, her eyes widened and her face grew fierce.

“Get away from her, you demon!” she yelled, raising her arm and throwing him across the room without even touching him.”

“Mom, stop!” I said, getting in her way. “That’s King Arthur. He was trapped inside my book.”

“Wait, let me be certain,” she said, extending her hand towards the king and closing her eyes. After a brief moment, she opened her eyes again. “He’s not a demon.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m a witch, Aurora. We come from a long line of witches, and I’m guessing that’s why this book called out to you.”

Mom asked King Arthur how he ended up trapped inside the book. He said he was imprisoned by a sorcerer. I also questioned Mom about my not having any powers and she said she had bound them with a spell. She said that she didn’t want people to find out about my powers. Minutes later, we began to prepare a spell for King Arthur.

To be continued…